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Published: January 23rd 2013
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
The great train station seething with people and machines.Today the first part of our tour was on the bus, trying to see the historic buildings from British times through the windows. The sun was almost always in the wrong position to take photos, and we could only see bits of the buildings. Frustrating, even though our guide was knowledgeable and interesting in how she introduced the sites and their architecture. Most significant was the
last cast-iron buildingin Mumbai – the hotel that refused entry to the “original” Mr Tata, Mumbai businessman, because he was Indian. He got his revenge by opening the Taj Mahal Palace, open to all. Six rupees per room then.
Our first stop was at a
Jain temple. This one was quite new, with part still under construction. A few weeks ago the historic temple was closed to tourists, because a group from a cruise boat severely disrespected the rules by wearing their shoes and dressing poorly. Not everything has to be old, however. This temple was beautiful: intricate lace-work carving and statues in peaceful white stone. We did later see the old temple from the bus; it was colourfully painted as perhaps this one will be one day.
From the temple entryway, we turned left
Jain Temple
Modern carvings in the ancient tradition into a large courtyard-type room, where the wall on our left was filled with small statues of gods; a worshipper had a small, round tray with sandalwood paste and marigold flowers. She carefully but quickly adorned points on each statue, such as forehead and belly, in an obviously long practiced ritual. We moved on to an altar, a smaller room, where circumambulation was the ritual (from left to right), which we joined for one circle. We continued on past the main altar room which we did not enter but which contained a very large statue. We turned back and in a second part of the courtyard room we admired the rice grain
mandalas. By this time the same worshiping woman was pouring out some grains of rice to make her own.
Our next stop on the bus was at the former home of Mahatma
Gandhi, a
museum now. His room and balcony from which he spoke and where he met friends and dignitaries are set up as they once were, now protected by glass. We saw the spinning wheel and simple mat. On another floor, about 20 small dioramas, painstakingly made with five-inch dolls, told the story of his
Hanging Gardens
Beautiful gardens but they don't hang down as I had always imagined! life. Although I knew the story, I was moved by the reverential tone of the guide’s voice even while she repeated what she must have said so often in her seven-year career. On the main floor was a library with mounted photographs and important letters, such as two from Tolstoy and one from Einstein.
At the next stop I had a surprise: the famous
Hanging Gardens don’t hang: it is a nice but perfectly normal park built over a huge reservoir. I was so surprised I didn’t absorb why they are called such (a job for Google). They do represent an extraordinarily peaceful green-space in this crowded city (20 million population). From the Gardens we could see the Greco-style apartment of the sprawling Kingfisher business empire, and the top of the “apartment” of the world’s second richest man. (Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani, Reliance Industries: the rich list and his position on it vary annually.) This is a building for five residents and 600 staff with parking for 120! Three helipads are probably necessary to avoid traffic and kidnapping plots. One of our earlier guides said that India has all the money it needs to solve all its problems, if it had
Dhobi Ghat
Famous outdoor laundry that staggers the imagination the will. He also said the hugely influential Tata family devotes one third of its income to charitable works, so they don’t place as high on the rich list as they might.
Many Indians are hard-working; our next stop was at the other end of the income scale. The outdoor laundry called the
Dhobi Ghat is almost beyond comprehension. From the vantage point of an overpass we watched hundreds of men washing and hanging clothes in cement or stone short cubicles. Under the shade of a tarpaulin others were ironing. Untold pieces of clothing, including hospital and hotel uniforms, are laundered every day and returned to the rightful owners without error. JK told us that business schools study this to try to understand the accuracy of the processes. Earlier our guide told a similar story of the
tiffin-wallahs who pick up, deliver, and return innumerable tiffin boxes within 15 minutes of the recipients’ lunch times.
Our final stop was the former
Prince of Wales Museum. Unfortunately we were tired and dazed by this time. I took the audio guide in an effort to concentrate on the ancient statues, mainly of Shiva and Ganesha. I concentrated so hard that M__ had to remind
Marine Drive
A favourite place for walking, day or night me of and take me to Parvati slaying a demon in the guise of a buffalo – a more modern, large, passionate work full of intricate embellishments.
I was certainly in need of lunch, which was a buffet in a modern restaurant. Tasty as always. Quite a few restaurants have stairs with no railings, quite scary! At this one, we climbed the stairs up and down to the buffet.
We were back at the hotel around 3:00. Just in time to have a quick rest, in my case have a quick swim, and be ready for a tour of the Taj put on by the hotel. A word about the swim – one wears street clothes in the lobby – not the main lobby but the somewhat more intimate Palace lobby. One goes by the pool down some stairs to the spa, where on this day several gentle-voice young ladies (Filipina?) gently show one to the lockers and changing room. When changed, one goes up to the long pool (that provides the best view of the hotel - must bring camera next time). A young man shows one to a lounge chair, whips a pool towel onto the
Murals
Loved the murals made on what we call sound barriers chair and proffers a small bottle of water. Luxurious!
The hotel’s history is probably even more colourful than the summary provided by the lively guide (duty manager for this day). We started in the pool area, which used to be the main entrance where carriages drove up – he had historic photos to illustrate his talk. With great aplomb and charming knowledge, he recited a list of visitors that matched the nationalities of the people on the tour, plus the big celebrities. Apparently Stephen Harper never stayed, but the guide had us all laughing over his confusion in trying to pronounce Saskatchewan regarding Brad Wall’s stay. In a most discrete and respectful way he mentioned both changes and restorations after “the
attacks” (his word), without actually dwelling on the event itself. The ballroom was completely destroyed and restored, and on this day was decorated with masses of red roses for international bankers who were meeting there. (Near the ballroom was a window that gave a perfect photo of the
Gateway of India.) Over the years
Tata acquired adjacent land and built the tower part of the hotel, where we were to have stayed. Much better in the historic part, which has
Gateway of India
Magisterial in appearance but the history when researched was more dubious been fully restored since the fires of the attacks – the style of the old with all the latest modern conveniences. Our tour ended in the Palace tearoom where we were invited to have coffee, tea or Indian sparkling wine. T__, L__ and I had wine and chatted with the guide for some time. (He circulated to all the tables.) The tour is designed to make the guest’s stay at the Taj and “experience” not a “transaction”. Success!
Our farewell dinner was this night. We had all been advised to buy small gifts for a gift exchange. In one corner of the not busy dining room (too early) we chuckled and traded.
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Isabel Gibson
non-member comment
To see the world in a grain of sand
Amazing rice mandalas - similar to sawdust ones I saw in Guatemala for Easter. I don't believe I do anything that requires that much dexterity or attention to detail.